This is a grass-roots website by regular folks who want to see Happy Hollow Boulevard in Dundee known as the Sunken Garden remain a greenspace as it was intended. The Sunks' greatest value is its natural, peaceful and unique solace. Though happily the plan "has been withdrawn indefinitely", the information will remain here for the time being.

What was at stake

A Two-Million-Dollar* plan hatched by a private party threatened to destroy the shaded greenspace in Omaha's Dundee neighborhood known as the Sunken Garden.

The plan calledforremoving many healthy trees and their canopy of shade, ripping up lawn, sprayingpesticides, building permanent structures, walls, hardscape sidewalks and patios and altering a historic boulevard preserved by our forefathers for over 100 years.

Saved: Omaha's Dundee Sunken Gardens (the Sunks)

Happy Hollow Boulevard was designed by renowned landscape architect Horace Cleveland in the late 1800s as part of Omaha's Park and Boulevard system. The boulevards link the many parks of our city, stretching over 28 miles in total. Originally intended to provide a natural respite from the bustle and hubbub of the growing city, *not one boulevard has permanent structures to this day, just as the original design laid out.*

Part of Happy Hollow Boulevard running between Western Ave. on the north and Underwood Ave. on the south includes a section known as the Sunken Garden, which residents often refer to as "the sunks."

Now...

Developers and designers, some from outside Dundee, sought to destroy all of the central tree canopy, much of the greenspace and replace it with permanent structures, hardscape, walls and more that will disrupt the neighborhood and contradicts the very plans the City has long maintained.

Of course it all looks good on paper when everything is blue skies, no graffiti or trash, not a single car to represent parking problems and no HazMat-suited people spraying pesticide in the picture.

The original published plans as published in the Omaha World-Herald and provided by the Developers (above) and media interviews touted weddings and concerts that will cause parking, traffic and clean-up problems. The Memorial Park Rose Garden is only two blocks away and already provides a much better venue for those events.NOTE: In October, 2017, developers promised to provide a document of governance
regarding maintenance and backing off their support of formal events. That written affirmation has yet to be presented.
Further, what is to prevent individuals from staging impromptu events once the venue is built?

Below: The latest plans on the Developers' website as of September, 2018

* The proposed budget is reported in some publications to have been revised downward from $2 million to $1.6 million. No explanation or clarification has been given by the developers for the conflicting numbers. It is possible that lowering the donation goal will make it easier to reach a trigger point for releasing city funds.